"Pass the kardemummabullar, please." There's a reason why the Swedes insist on having sweet breads like these Swedish cardamom buns (kardemummabullar) for their fika, or coffee break. These beautifully twisted, pillowy soft rolls have a delicate flavor of cardamom.
Want more sweet bread recipes? Try our delicious pulla bread and känellangd.
About
These are sweet yeast rolls filled with a caradamom-cinnamon-sugar mixture and twisted around itself. The dough is brushed with egg, sprinkled with pearl sugar, and baked until golden. They have a beautifully soft texture and a wonderful spiced flavor!
Ingredients
It doesn't take any fancy ingredients to make these Swedish cardamom buns. Let's talk about the key ingredients in these kardemummabullar!
- Bread Flour: I use bread flour here because it has a higher protein content, which creates more gluten, giving the bread a fluffier texture and higher rise.
- Cardamom: Use freshly ground green cardamom pods for the very best flavor and aroma.
- Pearl Sugar: These special white flecks of sugar are sprinkled on top of the buns before baking to add a touch of sweetness. You can make your own as a substitute with granulated sugar and water.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Swedish Cardamom Buns
Start by measuring out the ingredients for the bread dough.
- Pour the milk, butter, lard, sugar, salt, cardamom, and orange zest in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the fats are melted. (image 1)
- Pour the liquid into a stand mixer and add the flour, mixing well between each addition, until a sticky dough forms. (image 2)
- Knead on medium-low speed for 3-5 minutes until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, is smooth, and passes the windowpane test (see the recipe below for an explanation of this technique). (image 3)
- Place the dough in a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. (image 4)
- Let it prove in a warm place until doubled in size. (image 5)
- Roll out the dough to a large rectangle and brush with softened butter, then sprinkle with a mixture of brown sugar and ground cardamom. (image 6)
- Fold the dough in thirds, like you would for a business letter. Roll out the folded dough to make a larger rectangle, then cut into 24 strips. (image 7)
- Twist two strips of dough together, then wrap the twist around your hand once. Tuck the end underneath and poke it up the center to shape the bun. (image 8)
- Let the buns prove for 20-30 minutes, until they've increased in size and the dough springs back when prodded with a fingertip. (image 9)
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Immediately brush the buns with sieved marmalade and sprinkle with pearl sugar or sliced almonds. (image 10)
Enjoy your delicious, homemade cardamom bun! Whether you're enjoying your cardamom bun at fika or some other time, you'll be glad you made this gorgeous Swedish bread.
Recipe FAQs
Cardamom buns, or kardemummabullar, are a traditional Swedish sweet bread. They are made by layering a cardamom-flavored yeast dough with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, then twisting it into a beautiful bun shape and baking it until golden brown. Cardamom buns are a popular treat served during fika or coffee breaks in Sweden.
Cardamom has been a popular spice in the Sweden since at least 1690. It was initially used in medicines, but by the mid 1700s it had found its way into baked goods. Cardamom's popularity in Sweden surged in 1950, most likely due to the end of WW2 rationing. The unique flavor of cardamom adds a warm, aromatic, and slightly sweet taste to desserts, making it a beloved ingredient in Sweden.
Cardamom has a complex and unique flavor profile that's hard to describe! It has a sweet, floral, and slightly spicy taste with hints of lemon and mint. It can also be slightly bitter and astringent, especially when used in large amounts. However, it's best known for the warm, aromatic flavor it brings to desserts and savory dishes.
The traditional Swedish name for these cardamom buns, kardemummabullar, translates into English as "cardamom buns."
Leftovers: Baked cardamom buns can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days if they are sealed in an airtight container. However, they taste the best soon after baking, and for the best taste, you should freeze them as soon as possible.
Freezing: Seal the buns inside of a zip-top freezer bag, press out the excess air, and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave.
Serving Swedish Cardamom Buns
Wondering what to serve with these kardemummabullar? Make sure to make a cup of coffee using one of Sweden's favorite coffee brewing methods. Or, you can brew some java using the French press method, moka pot method, or pour over method.
Round out the fika table with some other Swedish treats. You'll definitely want to try our Swedish tea ring and kanellängd. If it's close to St. Lucia Day (December 13), make sure to try these beautiful St. Lucia buns.
If you're looking for other sweet bread recipes, make sure to try our mouthwatering recipes for vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls, kozunak (Bulgarian Easter bread), pulla (Finnish cardamom bread), cinnamon raisin rolls, and cinnamon babka.
Expert Tips
- If you add too much flour to the dough, just add a little water or milk to make it sticky again. A dry dough is not good.
- Let the dough rise (aka prove) in a warm, but not hot, place. Otherwise, it will take a long time to prove.
- You can make them the night before and let them prove in the fridge overnight. Let them warm up to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
- Don't worry if they don't look the same. It gives them character!
- If they are browning too quickly in the oven, cover them with aluminum foil.
Other Cardamom Desserts You'll Love
Recipe
Kardemummabullar (Swedish Cardamom Buns)
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons lard
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon fast-action yeast
- 5 cups bread flour
For the Filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 teaspoons ground cardamom
For the Decoration
- ⅓ cup orange marmalade
- ¼ cup pearl sugar or sliced almonds
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Pour the milk, sugar, butter, lard, cardamom, salt, and orange zest in a medium saucepan set over low heat. Stir frequently until the fats have melted and the mixture is warm. Remove from the heat, place on the counter and allow the liquid to cool to 115°F.
- Pour the liquid into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, then add the eggs and yeast. Dump in the flour one cup at a time, mixing well between each addition, until a sticky dough has formed. You might not need all the flour, or you might need a little extra, depending on the brand of flour and the humidity.
- Switch to a dough hook and knead for 3-5 minutes on medium-low speed. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl and become smooth. It will still be a little sticky. Test the dough by stretching a lump of it between the thumb and forefinger of each hand to create a windowpane. The dough should stretch to be translucent without breaking. If it does break, knead for a minute longer and check again.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place in a buttered bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough prove in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Shaping
- Line two 11 by 17-inch rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix together the brown sugar and ground cardamom until well blended.
- Roll the dough out to a 13 by 17-inch rectangle and spread it evenly with the softened butter. Evenly sprinkle the sugar mixture on top, then smooth it out with your hand.
- Fold the dough as you would a business letter, then roll it out to at least 7 by 14 inches. Cut the dough into 24 strips.
- To shape a bun, stack two strips of dough on top of each other and twist them together tightly. Wrap the twist around your left hand once, then tuck the end underneath and pull it through the center to form a knot. (See the instructional photos in the post for a visual demonstration.) Repeat with the remaining strips.
- Space the buns evenly apart on the prepared cookie sheets, then place the trays inside of a large, clean garbage bag. Inflate the bag and tuck the loose ends under the tray to seal.
- Let the dough prove in a warm place for 20-30 minutes, until they have noticeably increased in size and the dough springs back quickly when gently poked with a fingertip.
- About 10 minutes before they have finished proving, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Baking
- Stack each tray on top of another tray to insulate the bottom. This will help prevent the buns from burning in the oven.
- Bake the trays one at a time at 375°F for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The buns should be a beautiful golden brown and have an internal temperature of 190-200°F on a meat thermometer.
Decorating
- While the first tray of buns is baking, heat the marmalade in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir constantly until the marmalade has melted. Push the jam through a sieve using a spoon to remove the chunks of orange peel.
- As soon as they come out of the oven, place them on wire racks to cool and brush them with the sieved marmalade. This will add to the flavor, enhance their golden color, and give the crust a glorious shine.
- Sprinkle the buns with pearl sugar or sliced almonds, then leave to cool. Store at room temperature in a zip-top bag, or freeze for later.
Video
Notes
- If you accidentally add too much flour to the dough, add milk or water a little at a time until the dough is sticky again.
- Let the dough prove in a warm place to encourage growth.
- If they are getting too dark while they bake, cover them with aluminum foil.
- You can make them the night before and let them prove in the fridge overnight. Let them warm up to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
- Leftover buns? Freeze them in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 1 month and defrost in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Barbara
Haven't made it yet, because I don't have any lard. Sounds great, could vegetable shortening be used instead of the lard?
Emma
Yes, you can absolutely substitute shortening for the lard, Barbara. Enjoy!
Mary Claire Norstrom
I am a bit confused on the baking process. Do I slide the parchment paper (with buns) off to "double up" the trays? After baking 20 minutes, repeat with the second batch of buns? and when you say rotate, you mean putting the buns in the front in the back / buns in the back to the front. Sorry, I am a beginner! I think we are going to LOVE this recipe. Grandma Norstrom didn't leave her cardamom coffee cake recipe, and we've tried with little success to get close. Your recipe might get us there! So excited!
Emma
There's no need to slide the buns and paper onto another tray; simply stack the tray (with buns and all) on top of another tray. The layer of air trapped between the two trays insulates their base, reducing the chances of a burnt bottom. Also, rotating the tray means to give it a 180 degree turn so the opposite side of the tray is facing the front of the oven. This helps the buns to bake more evenly.
Let me know how the buns turn out! I hope they are close to your Grandmother's recipe!
Lily
Hi! Can I substitute more butter for lard? I’m vegetarian and would prefer not to use animal fats.
Emma
Yes, feel free to substitute the 3 tbsp of lard with 3 tbsp of butter. I like to use a mixture of the two because the lard improves the softness and fluffiness of the dough, but it's not absolutely necessary. Happy baking, Lily!
Alex
I really really loved these - I made them two days in a row. Such a special recipe, I’m going to make this a holiday or (more likely) a weekend tradition. Never would have thought of a cardamom pastry! Thanks 🙂
Emma
Thanks so much, Alex! You made my day!! 😍